Menopause: The Basics
Do you feel like menopause is a mystery to you?
If you do you are not on your own. Working with midlife women it has soon become apparent that they are lots of gaps in women’s knowledge about what the menopause is and what is happening to their bodies.
When exploring further some things have become apparent:
their mothers didn’t share their stories of menopause, it was a phase in their lives that they just got on with it. It just wasn’t talked about
it wasn’t covered in their education so they only have a basic knowledge of what is going on until it happens to them. That is now changing and it is now on the secondary school curriculum in England
there is nothing average about menopause. The symptoms, the age when it happens, how it happens are all as unique as the women involved
So let’s explore what is going on at menopause
So what is the menopause?
The menopause doesn’t happen at a flick of a switch. For some women there can be months or years leading up to menopause that is known as perimenopause.
During which time you can experience menstrual changes and irregularities plus an array of symptoms. This roller-coaster of symptoms is an indication of declining oestrogen and other hormonal fluctuations.
The menopause is defined as being 12 consecutive months without a period.
Post menopause is the time afterwards.
How Long Does The Menopause Last?
Menopause only lasts for 12 months.
When women talk about the menopause what they are usually talking about is the transition into the menopause or the perimenopause.
During perimenopause you will still have periods. Plus a roller coast of varying symptoms.
Menopause is 12 consecutive months without a period so you only know you have gone through the menopause after it has happened. So menopause is a retrospective diagnosis.
The timing of this varies from woman to woman but the average age to start in perimenopause is 45 and the average age women reach menopause is 51.
What is actually happening?
When we’re born, we have a set number of eggs already stored in our ovaries.
From our first period onwards our body releases an egg from this store.
Eventually either our ovaries will stop releasing eggs or we run out of eggs.
Oestrogen levels decrease when our ovaries stop releasing eggs.
This process happens either gradually and irregularly - this is why we can have irregular periods in perimenopause or it can happen due to surgery.
Once our ovaries have completely stop releasing eggs for 12 consecutive months, and our oestrogen levels stabilize at a new-low then menopause has happened.
Why is oestrogen important?
Oestrogen has a number of protective roles in the body and once the level drops our body has to adjust to this and this is why we get many of the symptoms that we do.
Oestrogen keeps our stress hormone cortisol in control. As oestrogen levels go down then there is the potential of cortisol levels to go up. Increased cortisol levels can affect our mood and memory making us more likely to feel anxious, depressed or get brain fog. Cortisol, because it is a stress hormone, likes to have a little stored energy just in case of emergencies - that is one of the reasons why we can be prone to a little bit of tummy fat at menopause.
Cortisol also influences our thyroid and the production of thyroid hormones. The hot flashes, slower metabolism and changes in how our bodies keep control of its temperature are all linked to the thyroid.
Oestrogen is also like the big sister to our pancreas cells making sure they are doing their chores. When the levels of oestrogen drops its protection of the pancreatic cells also drops meaning we can more likely to become insulin resistant and our chances of type 2 diabetes can increase.
Drops in oestrogen can also change where fat is stored in our bodies. So rather than it going on our hips, thighs and bottoms it then gets stored in our lower tummies - this shift if fat leaves our bodies the ability to produce a small amount of oestrogen as we age.
For most of us once our bodies have got used to the changes in hormones and settle down then the symptoms we have been getting will settle down. But this can take a while!!
NB it is worth remembering that progesterone and testosterone also change when we stop releasing eggs. Contributing to the symptoms we can get.
What can be done?
There are lots of things that can be done with nutrition and lifestyle changes that can support you through this phase of life.
By focusing on supporting your liver, balancing your blood sugars, building a strong gut microbiome, making sure you have your EFA ratios in the right % and creating balance in your hormones you will see dramatic changes in your menopause symptoms.
If you are ready to make simple but powerful changes to tackle your menopause symptoms head on so that you can lead a life symptom free then get in touch to see how I can support you.
Lesley x x
Next time
Symptoms of menopause and when you should see your GP